Happy Fourth of July from Dubai!

You know, you might think that one wouldn’t have that many opportunities to celebrate being American while living in the Middle East. It’s not generally a part of the world where the US is looked kindly upon, and Americans are encouraged to keep a low profile abroad, and yada yada yada.

And then you might happen to look back through your archives from the past few years to see if you have any relevant pictures for a Fourth of July post, and realize…

Oh - I guess I’ve done okay on the patriotism front.

So to the USA on your 235th birthday, thanks for being you. I know I’ve been away for a while, but if anything my pride at being American has only grown during that time. And after four years spent living in Dubai, seventy-plus countries visited, countless international friendships forged, and various global hijinx endured, I can honestly say I’m more convinced than ever that I am a citizen of the greatest nation in the world.

(And to the non-Americans rolling their eyes and choking back vomit right now, I hope you think the same thing about your country, too - because really, shouldn’t we all feel that way about home?!)

So as I head off to the Park Hyatt to celebrate Independence Day Dubai-style - at a five-star hotel, natch, with various diplomatic types darting around and the Yale Whiffenpoofs crooning patriotic tunes - I leave you with a link to the song I had to sing, along with my entire class, every single morning of fourth grade in Knoxville, Tennessee: “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood.

(Related: this may have something to do with the fact that my parents switched me to private school in fifth grade.)

Happy Fourth, y’all!